


Letters from Sokovia

by fivethingsunmixed



Series: Dream A Little Dream of Me [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Epistolary, F/M, Love Letters, Post-Civil War, civil war spoilers, pre-Civil War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-06-07 12:56:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6805582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fivethingsunmixed/pseuds/fivethingsunmixed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"But the pile of paper...the pile of paper is new. If a person’s room is their heart, then this pile of paper looks to be Vision’s beating pulse."</p><p>Letters and notes passed between the Avengers, but especially Wanda and Vision pre, during and post Civil War. Starts off fluffy and funny, but will end sad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I am really starting this fanfic at entirely the wrong time - I have piles of piles of work to do for my honors, so don't be surprised if this updates at a gnat's rate.

_ But only a host of phantom listeners _

_ That dwelt in the lone house then _

_ Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight _

_ To that voice from the world of men. _

“The Listeners” Walter de la Mare

 

Tony walks through the Avengers HQ, and the silence is killing him.

 

Just him and Vision now...with Rhodey still recovering, Thor off doing Thor-ish things and Bruce still not answering his calls, the two of them are rattling around this old manse like peas in a bucket. Oh, sure, the kid swings by on his webs now and then, and T’Challa’s dropped in, but the kid has a life to live, and T’Challa has...kingly...duties...of some sort...Tony assumes, anyway.

 

Regardless, Tony’s here, and the place feels haunted by too many bad mistakes.

 

“Number one is probably this whiskey I’m drinking,” mumbles Tony as he sips at his hipflask, “Never go for Tullamore Dew when you can buy Talisker.”

 

The first room he stops by is Wanda’s, her little shrine to a lost brother intact, an odd array of colored glass hanging by the window. There are some rather good sketches of butterflies pinned up as well, but without Wanda here, it lacks color somehow - it’s too easy to see accusatory eyes in the butterfly patterns, and the photo of Pietro hurts to glance at.

 

The next is Steve’s. Tony’s not even sure he wants to be in here, but he’s been drinking his way through his hipflask, so he opens the door. A much folded photo of Peggy is on the bedside, beside a framed one of the young Steve and Sergeant James Buchanan - Steve looking gaunt and ill, Bucky looking dashing and handsome. For a second, Tony considers trashing the whole room, starting with this photo, but he swallows the rage, and the sob that’s building up behind his eyes, and gentle rests the photo on Steve’s bedside instead.

 

Natasha’s is empty - totally impersonal, devoid of all attachments, all desires, all hints as to where she is and what she’s doing. He wonders at the sort of woman who can live like this, and then realizes that it’s possible she didn’t - just took everything personal with her when she disappeared.

 

He doesn’t touch Thor or Banner’s - he’s already spent what feels like hours in both, wondering if things might have been different if they’d been back sooner. This trip is new, and harder, and nastier.

 

Rhodey’s room - no - he doesn’t need that guilt. Not when he’s already three sheets to the wind.

 

Vision?

 

Vision.

 

His room is just as quiet as Natasha’s, with two differences: there is a photograph of Wanda on the wall, and a small pile of paper, tied gently with string.

 

The photograph of Wanda is a good one; she’s laughing, head thrown back, shoulders rolled forward, beaming. It’s the sort of photo you look at and instantly see why and how a person could fall in love with somebody. It’s little wonder Vision has it pinned to the wall.

 

But the pile of paper...the pile of paper is new. If a person’s room is their heart, then this pile of paper looks to be Vision’s beating pulse.

 

“Well, playboy,” whispers Tony to himself, “Let’s see what makes you tick these days.”


	2. Chapter 1: Thank You Notes, Thank You Thank You Notes, And Notes Stuck To Fridges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Song of Songs, pre-Civil War; Wanda thanks Vision, Vision thanks Wanda, and Sam gets exasperated.

_ Never did sun more beautifully steep _

_ In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; _

_ Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! _

_ The river glideth at its own sweet will; _

_ Dear God! the very houses seem asleep; _

_ And all that mighty heart is lying still! _

"Composed Upon Westminster Bridge" William Wordsworth

 

(A pair of handwritten letters; checking the date, Tony realizes it wasn’t long after the Priority 1 distress signal that interrupted his date with Pepper…)

 

(...)

 

(His mind blanks for a moment with guilt. Then he focuses.)

 

 

_ Dear Vision, _

 

_ Thank you for taking me out to dinner last night, it was wonderful! I had a lovely time. Thank you also for the roses. And the corsage.  _

 

_ But next time, could we please do something more low key? And maybe not dinner. It...feels awkward to eat when you can’t. I’d like it if we could do something that we could both do. Together. _

 

_ With affection, _

 

_ Wanda. _

 

 

(Wanda’s writing is loose and flowing; Vision’s looks more akin to Times New Roman than actual handwriting.)

  
  


_ Dearest Wanda, _

 

_ You’re very welcome. And thank you for your company. And...well, just thank you in general. _

 

_ I’m terribly sorry if the over-formality of the setting made you uncomfortable. I’m assured it’s Mr. Stark’s favorite restaurant. _

 

_ Next time, I will be sure to find an activity we can both participate in. _

 

_ Sincerely, _

 

_ Vision. _

 

(? Oh, wait, there’s another handwritten note here. It’s a post-it note. Looks like it might have been stuck to the fridge, judging by the pizza stain on it. The handwriting is slanting all over the place - looks like it was written in a rush.)

 

_ VISION: _

_ Next time you want to take a girl on a date, you ask for advice from either me, Clint or Steve. You do NOT, I repeat, do NOT go to Tony. _

_ Also, ‘sincerely’ dude? Really? You’re not applying for a job here. _

_ -Sam. _


	3. Chapter 2: Mission Statements and Farewell Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Start of Civil War; Steve has a mission for the Avengers, Vision worries, Natasha gets annoyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, signs in Sokovia are in Serbian Cyrillic, so I'm having Wanda speak Serbian. If I've messed up the single phrase I've used, do please tell me.
> 
> Also, here on out we head into Civil War territory.
> 
> (Oh, last note - I have no idea what a military mission statement would look like, being deeply civilian, so I made it up as I went. I'm open to constructive criticism. This is also the last of the pre-written chapters, so from here on out, I make no guarantees as to updating schedule, though I will try and get it complete before my next tri starts (August).)

_ When I had laid it on the floor, _

_ I went to blow the fire aflame, _

_ But something rustled on the floor, _

_ And some one called me by my name: _

_ It had become a glimmering girl _

_ With apple blossom in her hair _

_ Who called me by my name and ran _

_ And faded in the brightening air. _

“The Song of Wandering Aengus” W. B. Yeats

 

(Hm? This looks like a mission statement. Cap’s signed off on it, anyway.)

 

_ Avengers, _

_ We’ve finally got a lead on Rumlow’s next target: he’s hitting an infectious disease center in Lagos. _

_ This should be a quick, easy-in, strike job, so the team assembling for this mission is: _

_ Myself and the Falcon on back up observation; _

_ Scarlet Witch and Black Widow on ground level infiltration; _

_ Vision, if something goes wrong, I’ll be relying on you to contact Tony and bail us out. _

_ Everybody, watch each other’s backs. We’ll be leaving tomorrow at 0100, so get plenty of sleep. _

_ Signed, _

_ Steve. _

 

(Tony takes another swig, feeling bitterness about this statement. Hey, wait, there’s another message here, from Vision - got a staple hole in it. Looks like Vision might have stapled it to Wanda’s copy of the mission statement.)

 

_ Wanda, _

_ I know you’ve been training everyday, and working incredibly hard on your gifts, but I still don’t want you to go. I’m  _ ~~_scared_ _worried_ ~~ **_concerned_ ** _ about you. I would hate to see anything happen to you.  _

_ Please be safe. _

_ With  _ ~~_ lo _ ~~ _ affection, _

_ Vision. _

 

(Hm? A reply…)

 

_ Vision, _

_ I’m very touched, but I am a part of this team. I can look after myself. And if I can’t, I’ll have you to come save me, won’t I?  _

(there’s an atrociously adorable cartoon here of a tiny Wanda hugging a tiny Vision. Tony suspects she got Steve to help with it.)

 

_ Do vi _ _ đ _ _ enja, my dear. _

 

_ Wanda. _

 

(Curious, Tony turns the page over. Sure enough, Wanda has left a kiss-print in scarlet lipstick on the back of it.)

 

(Tony picks up the next page and has to choke back a laugh.)

 

_ Vision, next time you want to ask me about kissprints on letters, wait till I am fully awake and functional you  _ **_moron_ ** _. _

_ Also, tell your girlfriend to stop stealing my lipstick. _

_ -Natasha. _


	4. Chapter 3: Notes Passed In Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is startled, Wanda is sad and Vision does his best to apologize and comfort at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming down to crunch time this tri! Wish me luck!

_ And Niamh calling, Away, come away: _

_ Empty your heart of its mortal dream. _

_ The winds awaken, the leaves whirl round, _

_ Our cheeks are pale, our hair is unbound, _

_ And if any gaze on our rushing band, _

_ We come between him and the deed of his hand, _

_ We come between him and the hope of his heart. _

“The Hosting of the Sidhe” W. B. Yeats

 

(“Oh for god’s sake,” mutters Tony, irritated. It’s one of Steve’s goddamn, thrice-cursed  _ handouts _ . He’s told him a million times to use email for this, or powerpoint, or...really, anything else, except for printing out sheets of paper to explain potential battle tactics, and then, in his  _ eager _ , goshdarn aren’t I just the cutest Labrador puppy  _ ever _ way, go through them point by point, ignoring Natasha constructing elaborate paper planes and Tony turning his into origami hats.)

 

(Except this one is one of Vision’s notes. He’d expected Vision’s to be perfect, pristine. It’s not. Vision has started sketching in the margin of one of the notes. It’s a butterfly. It looks like a prototype sketch for the ones Tony remembers now hang in Wanda’s room. Beneath the over-complicated statements, arrows and lines, Wanda’s fluid writing starts.)

 

_ I  _ **_told_ ** _ you not to phase into my room. _

 

(Tony can practically  _ feel  _ the indignation rising from the page.)

 

_ I did apologize Wanda, and I do try, but the door was open and...I was concerned about you. _

 

(Tony is having issues imagining Vision being concerned about anyone, but he can’t deny that Vision’s feelings for Wanda...well, exist.)

 

_ You still phased into my room  _ **_without_ ** _ permission. _

 

_ Do you want another apology? _

 

**_No! Yes!_ **

  
  


_...I don’t know. _

 

(The image that that final sentence of Wanda’s conjures up is startling. He can see it, perfectly, in his mind’s eye: Steve, weary, tired, going through the battle tactics post-Lagos. Natasha and Falcon exchanging paper airplanes while Rhodey rolls his eyes and pretends he can’t see. And Vision and Wanda, side by side, writing on this piece of paper, Vision focussed only on her, to the exclusion of all else, Wanda tense, worrying at her lip the way she does when she’s frightened, her hair frazzled.)

 

(Tony turns the page over. More of Steve’s notes, but now the margin is filled almost solely with writing by Vision.)

 

_ Wanda. You made the only decision you reasonably could, given the circumstances. You had a brave, hard choice to make, and you made it, and it resulted in a lot of death, but I don’t think anybody could fault you for trying your hardest and your best to save as much life as possible. You failed, but that is due to a lack of experience. It is incidents like this that give you, me, even Captain Rogers, the experience that is necessary to save lives. _

_ You are not a monster, Wanda. You’re somebody very strong, who is working hard to try and save people. _

 

(There is only one line from Wanda after this, and the ink is smudged; Tony suspects, from the pattern, that it is smudged from a fallen tear.)

 

_ Thank you, Vision. _

  
(And coldness settles over Tony…)


	5. Intermission One: Look On My Works

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony remembers a conversation with Vision in the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I have a severe allergy to leaving this fic alone for more than a couple of days at a time. Huh.
> 
> Breaking format here to let Tony have a guilt session. Cos after all, this is a conversation we never *did* get to see happen, isn't it?
> 
> (Warning: things are only gonna get worse from here...)

_ And on the pedestal these words appear: _

_ ‘My name is Ozymandius, King of Kings! _

_ Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’ _

_ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay _

_ Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, _

_ The lone and level sands stretch far away… _

“Ozymandius” Percy Blysshe Shelley.

 

The argument had been had, the Sokovia Accords had been left to be read over, Steve was no doubt sulking somewhere, and Tony had an important conversation to have with Vision and Thaddeus Ross before he left.

 

“Ross, Vision,” he said, grabbing both before they left. Vision’s eyes, as always, carried the peculiar quality of seeming to look through him. Ross just looked as he always did: annoyed, with a  _ soupcon  _ of constipated.

 

“What is it  _ now _ , Tony?” grumbled Ross.

 

“The Accords…”

 

“ _ Will _ be ratified.”

 

“I know, I just.” Tony bit the inside of his cheek, “...the Accords are currently less than kind to Wanda.”

 

Vision’s eyes widened, then narrowed.

 

“And, y’know, on top of that, there’s public safety, public interest, fearmongering.”

 

“If the Accords are ratified, then yes, she may be tried as a criminal.”

 

“Look,” said Tony, “I can get Steve on board with this. Give me a day. Five days. A year. I can get Steve totally on board with this ratification idea. Totally on board. But if we get Wanda tried as a criminal, day one, we’ll be fighting him every step of the way. Do you want that, Ross? Because I didn’t come here to fight a ninety-year old super soldier. I don’t think you did.”

 

Ross grumbled.

 

“Look, we’ll put her on house arrest until I get all the current Avengers to sign,” said Tony, using the last bit of compromise in his soul, “She’ll be safe, the general fear and malice in the public will have time to simmer, and in the meantime,  _ no one else will get hurt _ . We cool? We cool.”

 

“Acceptable,” grumbled Ross finally, before climbing into the chopper.

 

Vision stood there, eyes narrowed as the chopper took off, staring at Tony.

 

“You wanted me here for a reason,” he said, voice hard.

 

“Well...yeah,” said Tony, rubbing the back of his head, “See, this is for Wanda’s good. It’s to keep her safe as much as it is to keep the general populace safe. And...you’re the person she’s closest to, safest with, most comfortable with...I figured you’d be willing to help keep her here.”

 

“You want me to be her jailor,” said the synthoid, sounding as closed to peeved as Tony had ever heard.

 

“I want you to be her protector. Out there? She screws up again, people will be coming for her  _ blood _ . And it doesn’t have to be a big screw up either. Say the wrong thing, the wrong place, poof. Riots in the streets. What we need is for her to be away from people long enough for them to  _ forget _ .”

 

“She will be  _ imprisoned _ . Like a  _ child _ .”

 

“Do you want her safe or do you want her free?” snapped Tony back, “You can’t have both.”

 

Vision withdrew, mouth working briefly, before a mask of cool calmness returned.

 

“I will do as you order, Mr. Stark.”

 

“Good. She’ll be safe here, and happy.”

 

“...A prison is still a prison.”

  
“Even if it has a water slide?”


	6. Chapter 4: Birthday Notes, Recipes and Requisitions Forms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several things are found that make Tony feel increasingly guilty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terribly sorry this update has been so late in coming - a whole lot of stuff conspired to make me just not touch creative writing in general for a while (stuff being: essays, exams, and then a series of terrible tension headaches which we've only just discovered are linked to the deterioration of my sight in my right eye - nothing to be worried about, I just now need reading glasses).
> 
> I'm going to try and finish this story up fairly quickly since second trimester is starting up soon for me, and I'll be low on time again.

_ -Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture _

_ I love) I shan’t have lied. It’s evident _

_ the art of losing’s not too hard to master _

_ though it may look like ( _ **_write_ ** _ it!) like disaster. _

“One Art” Elizabeth Bishop

 

(Hmm? A scrap of torn paper. It’s yellowed with age, battered and beaten, and folds have been pressed into it to the point of near-falling apart.)

 

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium sized potatoes

2 peeled carrots

 

(...? It’s a recipe. That’s...odd. Wait, there’s a hole punched near the top - not very tidy, looks like it was done with a pencil, and a bit of string is run through.)

 

(A card? The writing is in Serbian Cyrillic. Irritated, Tony makes a sharp command to FRIDAY to translate it into English.)

 

To The Worlds Best Sister!!!

 

(There’s a sloppily drawn sketch of a little girl underneath, with a tree and a sun. Opening it reveals…)

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WANDA!

 

I’m sorry I couldnt buy you anything, but I went to our old house and found this. I think it came from mum’s old cookbook. And it’s  _ definitely  _ a thing I remember her cooking.

Maybe, when were older, and safe, and have a place of our own, we can cook it for ourselves!

 

Love,

Your brother Pietro.

 

(Tony drops the card, and the recipe, as if burned. Automatically, as if not thinking, he grabs the next piece of paper.)

 

To UN Security Force,

 

Request one (1) supply of paprika.

 

Vision.

 

(Of course! Vision would have had to request groceries through the UN...wait, he requested  _ paprika _ ? What?)

 

(Is there something here Tony is missing?)

 

(There’s another piece of paper.)

 

To VISION,

 

Request denied.

  
(It’s been crumpled up, as if in a rage. But...Vision doesn’t have rages. Does he?)


	7. Chapter 5: Apologies, Crossword Puzzles, and the News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vision tries to apologize, Wanda backslides somewhat and Tony finds evidence that indicates Wanda's leaving was always going to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, Jessica Jones (sort of) cameo. I'd love to take credit for the crossword puzzle clue and answer, but I actually cribbed it from Bennie Davis' (you know, the short guy from Axis of Awesome) blog on cryptic crosswords.

_Give me back my young brother, hard_

_and furious, with wide shoulders and a curse_

_for God and burning eyes that look upon_

_all creation and say, You can have it._

Ken Levine "You Can Have It" 

 

(? What’s this? It’s in Vision’s handwriting…)

 

_Wanda,_

 

_I am truly sorry for hiding from you for so long my orders to protect you, especially in this way. I know that you would rather not be here, and I know that none of this is your fault, though the way events have unfolded makes it seem as if I, and perhaps Mr. Stark, blame you._

 

 _I don’t, Wanda. I simply want you to be as safe as possible._ _You mean so much_ _Your_ ** _friendship_** _and continued existence is very important to me._

 

_Please forgive me, Wanda._

 

_And Wanda? Please...please, start talking to me again?_

 

_Vision._

 

(...it’s been torn in two.)

 

(Wait, underneath it is a scrunched up bit of newsprint.)

 

**ALIAS INVESTIGATIONS**

 

**Missing People Found, Spouses Tracked Down, Affidavits Served**

 

**NO FAN MAIL**

 

(...what? Why would Vision keep a tacky advert for a private eye?

 

“She’s a looker, though,” comments Tony, wryly, “Or would be if she didn’t look about to rip my head off.”)

 

(Oh, wait, there’s something on the back.)

 

(A crossword puzzle? ACROSS 8. In the daydreams, unwind! But I’m not actually free to do it.)

 

(Tony takes out a pen in preparation of noting down “My Hands Are Tied”, before he realizes that some of the boxes have been filled in. The writing is elegant, loopy, with Greek ‘E’s - Wanda’s. It doesn’t fit any of the clues, though. All it does is spell out: I AM A MONSTER.)

 

(It takes Tony a second to start breathing again after reading it; some wounds hurt too much.)

 

(Hm? A second bit of newsprint.)

 

**CAPTAIN AMERICA AND WAKANDAN KING ARRESTED IN BUCHAREST**

 

_Yesterday, following a military sting in Bucharest in an attempt to track down the man who bombed the security council meeting to pass the Sokovia Accord, Steve Rogers, alias Captain America and T’Challa, the King of Wakanda, were apprehended interfering with the military’s attempts to arrest the man behind the bombings…_

 

(The page is torn off here, much-folded and crinkled. It occurs to Tony (as, he realizes, it must have occurred to Vision) that Wanda knew full well what she was getting herself into when she tossed her chips in with Steve, and did so anyway.)


	8. Intermission Two: More Distant And More Solemn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony remembers his talk with Vision after Wanda forcibly exits the Avengers HQ.

_ Eyes I dare not meet in dreams _

_ In death’s dream kingdom _

_ These do not appear: _

_ There the eyes are _

_ Sunlight on a broken column _

_ There, is a tree swinging _

_ And voices are _

_ In the wind singing _

_ More distant and more solemn _

_ Than a fading star. _

-T. S. Eliot “The Hollow Men”

 

“Wow,” was all Tony could manage, gazing down at the multi-storey, vaguely-Vision shaped hole Wanda had created, “I, uh, wow.”

 

“I warned you,” said Vision, seemingly undamaged by his jaunt into the city’s underground, “A prison is still a prison.”

 

“She, uh. She really didn’t take kindly to that.”

 

Vision’s face was normally as perfectly carved as one composed of marble, but lines of pain were etching themselves around his mouth and eyes.

 

“Wanda should not be imprisoned. There are…” Vision seemed to be struggling for words.

 

Tony stared, briefly, into the middle distance.

 

“She’s with Steve now, though, isn’t she?”

 

“You can’t imprison her!” snapped Vision, “It’s  _ wrong _ !”

 

Tony turned, puzzled.

 

“Why? Because you love her? Do you even know if she loves you back?”

 

Vision’s eyes went flinty.

 

“No.”

 

“You, holder of that little doohicky in your head, and you’re throwing a tantrum cause the girl you liked chose Captain America over you.”

 

“She did not choose Steve Rogers over  _ me _ ,” snarled Vision, “She chose him over  _ you _ .”

 

Tony felt his face draw itself into a mask of rage.

 

“Well, here’s news for you: if you’re so keen for your little  _ witch _ to stay out of  _ prison _ , the best thing you can do,  _ right now _ , is help  _ me _ convince Steve and his posse  _ to back the hell down _ . Comprende?”

 

Vision’s reactions seemed, for once, totally human, and the result was eerie, like staring into the Uncanny Valley; his chest rose and fell heavily, his eyes sparked with rage, and his fists clenched and unclenched. Finally, he worked his jaw with a bit of effort, took a deep breath, and composed himself. 

 

“When do we strike, Mr. Stark?” he asked, politely.

 

“When they’re next vulnerable,” replied Tony.

 

He failed to notice the way Vision turned and stared, longingly, in the direction of Wanda’s room, as if part of him simply expected her to walk out and run towards him already, before shaking the moment off, and following Tony out.


	9. Chapter 6: Love Letters, Requests, Denials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda sends a letter, Vision makes a request.

_ How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. _

_ I love thee to the depth and breadth and height _

_ My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight _

_ For the ends of being, and ideal grace… _

_ I love thee freely, as men strive for right. _

_ I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. _

-Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Sonnett 43”

 

(Hm? A letter. It’s marked as for Vision’s eyes only.)

 

(Tony immediately skips to the end. What? He’s one of those annoying people who reads the last page first.)

 

(...)

 

_ Recipient: Vision. _

_ Sender: Wanda Maximoff. _

 

_ Vision, _

_ I need you to know that I don’t blame you for what’s happened. And I...I need you to know that I’m working on controlling my power. In fact I… _

 

_ When I first arrived here, in America, I tried to control my power by thinking of Pietro, but it just made me miss him more, and made my power more unstable. Because of my grief, and my anger. _

 

_ Now I think of you. Of your kindnesses. Of your gifts. Of the peacefulness of your mind. I...I miss you, Vision, even though you imprisoned me. And I know you were just...trying to help me. I control myself now by...thinking of how much better I want to be when I next see you. _

 

_ When I next see you, I don’t want to fight. I want you to join us. I want to fight alongside you. _

 

_ Because I love you. _

 

_ Please come visit me, soon. _

 

_ All my love, _

 

_ Wanda. _

 

_ Transcribed: Doctor Elisa Suvin. _

 

(There are no crinkles in the page, but it’s been folded and refolded almost until it’s illegible, as if Vision has been rereading it. Tony can almost imagine Vision pressing Wanda’s  _ love _ against his heart.)

 

(Hm? Another page.)

 

_ Recipient: General Ross _

_ Sender: Vision _

 

_ General Ross, _

 

_ Request permission to visit Wanda Maximoff aboard the Raft to ensure her powers are being properly contained. _

 

(Attached is another page. This one has been crinkled up, as if crushed in a rage.)

 

_ Recipient: Vision _

_ Sender: General Ross _

 

_ Request denied. _

  
(Tony flinches. Even he can feel the sharpness behind the words, the harshness, and wonders at Vision’s control, that he did not simply fly over and release her himself.)


	10. Chapter 7: Investigations, Truths and Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The jailbreak has consequences for Vision, both nasty and nice.

_ Love is you and love is me _

_ Love is a prison and love is free _

_ Love’s what’s there when you’re away from me _

_ Love is. _

-Adrian Henri “Love Is”

 

(Whoa! This is a big pack of paper, and it all looks kinda similar.)

 

(Top form is one from the Security Council to Vision…)

 

_ Following the escape of the prisoners Sam Wilson, Scott Lang, Clint Barton and Wanda Maximoff from the Raft, the UN Security Council requests the presence of the synthoid known as the Vision to present itself at a hearing, where it shall give evidence that it was uninvolved in this crime; should its evidence be found unsatisfactory, it shall be imprisoned and dismantled. _

 

(Tony felt torn strangely between humor and nausea; humor that the Security Council even thought they  _ could _ dismantle Vision, and nausea at the thought that they  _ would _ .)

 

(However, immediately underneath was an almost identical piece of paper, with a much different tone.)

 

_ In light of new information, the UN Security Council rescinds its request for the synthoid known as Vision to present itself at a hearing, and apologizes for any distress said request may have caused.  _

 

_ The UN Security Council does request the synthoid knows as Vision’s full cooperation in helping to capture and imprison these menaces to society. _

 

(“Well, no doubt who wrote that,” mumbled Tony. General Ross had a  _ way  _ with words that was matched only by the editor of the Daily Bugle.)

 

(The more apologetic (albeit insulting) note was stapled to a handwritten note. And yes, that calligraphy was  _ very _ familiar, and Tony had to set the paper down and go make himself a cup of very strong, very black coffee before he could handle reading Steve Rogers’ handwriting.)

 

_ Dear General Ross, _

 

_ It’s come to my attention that you are searching for the culprit of the recent jailbreak at the Raft. I thought I’d save you some time and let you know: it was me. I stole some of Tony’s equipment and used that to break into the Raft and get my friends out. _

 

_ Don’t worry; we don’t have any intentions of breaking up the Security Council, or of attacking you or any innocent civilian. What we do intend is simply to do what we’ve always done: help those who need it. _

 

_ As I said to Tony, the best hands are our own. _

 

_ Oh, and for the record: Vision has had nothing to do with it; please leave him out. _

 

_ We’ll be watching. _

 

_ Steve Rogers, (fmr. Capt.) _

 

(He wants to stop it, but he can’t; something about the polite yet totally full-of-shit way Rogers talks to General Ross makes him smile.)

 

(There’s one last letter here.)

 

_ Vision, _

 

_ I’m finally free. Steve Rogers came and let me go. _

 

_ He told me that they were going to blame you for my being set free. I told him I couldn’t let that happen, and he said he’d fix it - I hope you’re not in trouble, my love. _

 

_ I’ve forgiven you for everything - I hope you’ve forgiven me. For hurting you. For leaving you. For losing my temper with you when you were trying to help. _

 

_ I hope we’ll meet again one day, when the butterflies are hatching, and the sun is shining. You’ll wear a suit, and I’ll wear a corsage, and we can dance, and I can step on your feet, and you can pretend it doesn’t bother you, like we did before all of this mess started. _

 

_ I’m sorry I can’t see you just yet - Steve says it’s still too early. But one day. _

 

_ I love you and I miss you so much. _

 

_ Doviđenja, my love. _

  
_ Your witch, your monster, your Wanda. _


	11. Final Intermission: La Belle Dame Sans Merci

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vision and Tony talk once more.

_ And that is why I sojourn here _

_ Alone and palely loitering _

_ Though the sedge has withered from the lake _

_ And no birds sing. _

-John Keats “La Belle Dame Sans Merci”

 

There’s a difference - it’s subtle, but it’s noticeable - between an empty room and one with people in it, and it took Tony a moment before he realized that he was not alone in the kitchen, with his bitter black coffee, and the tiny, sad, heartwrenching pile of letters.

 

Vision stood in the doorway, regarding Tony with an expression of pure coldness.

 

“Do I afford your amusement?” he asked.

 

For a few moments, Tony was lost for words.

 

“Vision, I…”

 

“Does it amuse you, to discard my right to privacy in this way?”

 

Tony let the last letter, the one containing Wanda’s love, and her hope to see Vision again, and her acceptance of herself, fall to the marble.

 

“I...don’t know why I did it. I was in a bad way, Vision. I’m sorry. Really, I am. I guess…I guess I was looking for a sign that the life of something I created wasn’t as fucked as mine.”

 

“You’re prevaricating. That’s not what you were looking for. You just wanted to make yourself even more miserable than you already are.” The words were sharp as a lash.

 

“All right,  _ yes _ , I did! I miss her. I miss Pepper. I miss Pepper, and I don’t know how to fix it!” snapped Tony back, “I don’t know how to fix it and you...you’re metal and oil and some fucking  _ stone _ that no one knows how it  _ works _ and  _ you have a better love life than me _ ! How does that work?”

 

Tony could feel himself shaking. Even to Steve, he hadn’t admitted how much he missed Pepper, just that she was gone. Why admit it to Vision?

 

“...because you miss her, too,” he said suddenly. Vision froze, “You miss Wanda as much as I miss Pepper. Even before I read all this I knew that. And now…”

 

He stared at Vision, at the virbranium lines of his face.

 

“How do you cope?”

 

Vision let out a breath, slowly, and joined Tony sitting at the kitchen counter.

 

“Hope,” he said, softly, “Hope that the UN Security Council will see the foolishness of their decision. Hope that you will let go of your spite at Captain Rogers. Hope that one day I will be free to be with Wanda as I please. Just...hope.”

 

“I don’t think I’ve got hope left.” sighed Tony.

 

“The greatest mind on the planet and you can’t bring yourself to hope?” smiled Vision wryly.

 

“I used to,” said Tony, “But I think Rogers cured me of that when he lied to me for over a year.”

 

The two were silent for a moment, thinking.

 

“Tony?” said Vision.

 

“Mmm?”

 

“You should call Pepper. Not...as a friend. You seem...poisoned. Talking to somebody would help.”

 

“Somebody not you?” said Tony wryly.

 

“Somebody with your best interests at heart.”

 

“You saying you don’t have my best interests at heart?” asked Tony. Vision smiled thinly.

 

“You asked me to imprison the woman I loved, then fight her, and now rifle through my things, and you ask me if I have your best interests at heart?”

 

“See, I don’t recall programming you with so much  _ venom _ , Vision. Where is all this cattiness coming from?” asked Tony. Vision raised an eyebrow, “It was a rhetorical question, Mr. Maximoff-to-be.”

 

Vision scowled.

 

“Oh, don’t look like that. You two make a cute couple, the vibranium synthoid with a heart and the witch who can turn people’s minds inside out. I’m sure you’ll have beautiful robotic babies.”

 

“You use sarcasm, jokes and insults as a way to distance yourself from people,” noted Vision, “And to hide the fact that your PTSD has gotten worse since Rogers left.”

  
Vision stood, picked up the sad pile of papers, and walked away, a carved image of rage and love, while Tony bit the inside of his cheek until it bled, hoping it would hide the way his hands had started to shake again.


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Far away, a letter reaches Wanda.

_ Somewhere Else… _

 

As the sun slowly rose over their hideout, Scott and Sam watched as Wanda moved peacefully and gracefully.

 

“Careful with your breathing, Wanda,” noted Sam.

 

“You really think this will work?” noted Scott quietly to him.

 

“A lot of Wanda’s stress is physiological as well as mental. Tai-Chi could help her calm down. The last thing you need is a stressed out witch giving you all nightmares,” noted Sam softly back.

 

“Tai-Chi. Sounds like a breakfast cereal,” muttered Scott. He still cradled a cup of coffee, not yet awake. Sam chuckled.

 

“All your daily enlightenment in a bowl,” quipped Sam back.

 

“I can hear you, you know,” commented Wanda, amused.

 

“Of course you can, darling. You’re doing great. Now bring it back to center and...you’re done. How do you feel?”

 

Wanda smiled brightly.

 

“Good!”

 

“That’s good to hear,” said Steve with a smile as he walked in, holding a letter, “Because Christmas arrived early for somebody special.”

 

“We’re getting letters?” asked Sam, “How?”

 

“Not all of us.” commented Steve with a smile, “Only the ones of us who have a certain  _ someone _ who wants to contact them badly enough to try and find  _ me _ …”

 

“ _ Vision _ !” gasped Wanda, grabbed the letter out of Steve’s hand and running to her tiny room.

 

“There goes all my hard work,” sighed Sam.

 

“Undone by the fact that she goes ga-ga for a robot,” mumbled Scott. Sam grinned.

 

“How does that make you feel, Lang? You’ll never be as manly as Vision?”

 

“Urgh, don’t even talk to me.”

 

While the two started to bicker, Steve went to find Wanda.

-

_ Dearest Wanda, _

 

_ I hope this letter finds you well. _

 

_ I’ve used a contact that Captain Rogers assured me would allow me to send you my letters. Even so, I’ve used a genetic encryption on this paper - it will only reveal its true contents when you touch it. _

 

_ Oh, Wanda, I’m so very sorry that things turned out the way they did. I wish I hadn’t listened to Mr. Stark. I wish I’d gone with you and Captain Rogers. I wish I’d helped you be free, rather than tried to imprison you against your will. _

 

_ I love you, Wanda. I love you, and knowing that you love me means that I can have hope. _

 

_ I can have hope that the UN will rescind their criminal accusations against you. I can have hope that Tony Stark will one day allow the Avengers to exist again. I can have hope that the will world will turn and we will be together, and I can take you to dinner, or we can fly above the sunset, or do whatever it is you want to do. Even if it involves me cooking. _

 

_ I love you Wanda, and I will wait for you forever. _

 

_ Your Vision. _

-

When Steve found Wanda, she was holding the letter to her heart, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks, and gasping for breath, but beaming.

 

Slowly, he sat next to her, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close and letting her cry into his shoulder.

 

After a few moments, she took a deep breath, wiped her tears away and smiled at Steve. Then she lovingly folded up the letter and added it to a small bundle of paper that sat by her bedside.

  
It was tied up with a yellow ribbon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! Thank you all for your love and patience on this wild ride. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


End file.
